


Dog and Bone(afide Friends)

by UndertaleThingem



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adorable Papyrus (Undertale), Fluff, Gen, POV Multiple, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:34:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndertaleThingem/pseuds/UndertaleThingem
Summary: Life as a sentry can be pretty boring--even moreso if you can't see anything unless it moves. Lucky for Doggo, there's one person who is both loud and given to moving a lot in his efforts to be noticed--Papyrus, who just came to town and is already making an impression on the residents of Snowdin... even if he doesn't realize it yet.A series of short snippets exploring a friendship between Doggo and Papyrus!
Relationships: Dogamy/Dogaressa (Undertale), Doggo & Papyrus (Undertale), Papyrus & Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 142
Collections: Pap Chat Secret Santa 2019





	Dog and Bone(afide Friends)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kamari333](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamari333/gifts).



> Hi Kamari! I was your secret santa this year--it was both a challenge and fun coming up with this story! At first, I had a hard time thinking of much to write, and it all wanted to be from Doggo's perspective for some reason--but after a bit of brainstorming and work, I came up with a lot more and think it's turned out well. Perhaps even better, it got my beta reader behind the Doggo and Papyrus rarepair, so I hope you like it too. Enjoy!

Doggo yawned, leaning back in his chair and propping his paws up. Maybe it was bad form, but it had been an extremely slow day even for Snowdin. All that had moved on his watch was some snow falling off the trees across from his station, and a group of rowdy teens barreling down the path. He'd watched them go with a grumble, but at least it did something to break up the blank space that filled his vision otherwise. He'd close his eyes to give his mind a break, but he was supposed to be on duty.

Well, at least being a sentry was an easy job. Sure, he had to be ready on the off chance a human appeared, but no one he knew--besides Gerson and the king--had ever seen one. So Doggo had his doubts. He leaned back further on the chair, the movement allowing his surroundings to briefly swim into view before fading again. He rocked a few more times to make sure the path before him was clear, then set a dog treat in his teeth. He'd gotten better about only smoking them on breaks, but he could still idly chew on them in between, just enough to take the edge off.

Man, today really _was_ slow. The Dogi had usually pranked him at least once by now, and the big guy always came by around this time on his W-A-L-K. Had he missed them? Ugh. Well, maybe that new guy would come by. Doggo hadn't met him yet--supposedly, he was a skeleton, and had signed on to be a sentry like him.

What... even _was_ a skeleton? He was under the impression they were made of bones... Doggo took his treat out and twirled it in his fingers, contemplating its shape. A whole monster made of these...? Weird. He had to question how wise it was to have him working with a bunch of dogs if that were the case. Wouldn't Hotland or Waterfall have been better...?

Doggo put the treat back in his mouth, shifting it from side to side as he thought. At least the new guy'd be a change of pace. Maybe he'd invite him to Grillby's on their break and they could all get to know each other better.

"Hello, fellow member of the Royal Guard!"

Doggo yelped at the stentorian shout. He kicked, pitching the chair back and sending himself sprawling on the floor. He rolled to his feet with a grumble, rubbing where his head had collided with the earth as he slowly stood.

"Oh no! Are you alright? I didn't mean to startle you, though I agree my presence is much to behold..."

Doggo opened an eye and briefly caught a tall monster posing. "Nah, you're alright, I didn't catch you moving. Which... Don't tell Captain Undyne about. You're the new guy, right? The new sentry?"

The newcomer flashed into view as he shifted from posing to a disappointed sag. "No, that would be my brother, who is currently shirking his duties. I am the very-soon-to-be-famous-and-loved-by-all-incredibly-handsome-captain-of-the-Royal-Guard Papyrus! I'm, not actually, a member of the guard yet... but soon! I'm aiming for the top!"

"Wow," Doggo commented with a smile and raised brows. This Papyrus guy sure was boastful... but he moved a lot as he spoke, and he liked that. "And it's your brother that's the sentry?"

"Hard to believe, I know. Have you seen him? Oh, and, um... what's your name? I ought to know who'll be working for me when I achieve my dreams."

Doggo snickered. "Name's Doggo. Your brother... a skeleton, right?"

"Yes! That's him! Well, also me, as I am also a skeleton... but he's the only other skeleton."

"Right. Nope. You're the first skeleton I've met."

"Really?! Well, at least it was me. My brother probably would have made a weird first impression. He is... well... I'm sure you'll meet him eventually."

"Huh, guess I'll find out," Doggo said as he righted his chair and sat back in it. "Uh, quick question..."

"Yes?"

"Do you always move this much?"

"Hm? Papyrus looked down at himself. "Probably? I do try to strike excellent poses wherever I go. You never know who's watching! Um... it's not bothering you, is it?"

Doggo shook his paws. "No, no! It's actually pretty great--I can only see stuff when it moves, so usually when I have a conversation with someone... I can't see them at all, so it can get kinda awkward."

"Aha, no wonder you're a sentry! Your incredibly specific vision is sure to spot an unwary human who comes this way! Fantastic!"

Doggo smiled with soft surprise as he sat back down--he'd half expected this guy to mock him or make some dismissive comment, with him being as boastful as he was. But even he could see his enthusiasm was genuine; it was a refreshing attitude, to say the least. He leaned back, hands folded behind his head as he did some boasting of his own.

"Yep, that's the idea. Of course, there hasn't been a human in years, but a few months ago I _did_ stop a kid from sliding right into a tree. The screaming helped, but once I saw him sliding along the ground, totally out of control, I leapt right in! That's when I saw the tree."

"Wowie! Those are just the keen senses a sentry needs! I'm sure you're very popular."

Doggo snorted. "I was the town hero for like a week. Snowdin's so peaceful, even something like that's the hot gossip."

"You were popular for a whole week! Impressive! I have yet to be popular at all... but joining the Royal Guard will change that! Anyway, I need to catch up with my brother. It was great meeting you, Doggo--you won't regret it!"

With that, Papyrus slid off, balanced on one foot as he waved. Doggo blinked--he'd never seen anyone move like _that,_ even when they were sliding on ice towards a tree. It was odd--one of many odd things about Papyrus so far--but it had certainly added something interesting to his day. And he couldn't complain about finally having a conversation with someone he could see nearly the whole time.

Doggo leaned back in his chair once more, arms pillowed behind his head. He couldn't be sure, but he had a good feeling about this guy.

-

"There's our seeing-eye Doggo," Dogaressa joked as he approached the usual table at Grillby's, his friends having waved him over like they always did. "Anything to report?"

He shook his head as he sat, which both worked as a response and let him see the chair. "Nah. I know not to report falling snow anymore."

The Dogi laughed--ah, so they were both here.

"It's the same for us," Dogamy spoke up, confirming his previous thought. "No weird smells... Just snow, mud, trees..."

"And dog breath," Dogaressa teased, and Doggo caught her tweaking her partner's nose.

"Hey! I brush!" he retorted, and Dogaressa giggled.

"And that's why you still get doggy kisses."

Doggo shook his head at them--they could be too much sometimes. A scratching noise to his left caught his ear, which meant--

"Oh hey big guy, you're here too?"

"BOOF."

Doggo barked a laugh. "Thought I could hear ya--writing another letter, huh? Get anything from the last one?"

Greater Dog gave a low whine.

"Ah, well... I'm sure she's just busy. Royal Scientist and all that."

Greater Dog snuffled in agreement before turning back to his letter. Doggo wished he could see how it was coming along--the big guy had the most beautiful penmanship. Well, he'd ask to see when it was done--Grillby had come over to take his order, and lunch break didn't last forever. He made his selection (the usual--dry dog food), handed the menu back, and settled in to wait for his meal. Oh, that's right--something _had_ happened today.

"Oh yeah, I guess I did meet someone," he said, and caught the others pricking their ears. "One of the new skeletons, I guess--said his name was Papyrus. His brother's the new sentry."

"We met him too! He casts bone magic--we played fetch for a little while with some of his attacks," Dogamy replied, tail wagging, "though, he said it was training. He's kind of silly, but he seems nice."

"Maybe not the brightest, but he's got a spark I like," Doggo agreed. "At the very least, he's loud and he moves a lot, so at least I can see him."

"yeah, my bro's pretty hard to miss."

A voice to his right made Doggo jump, and judging by the yips of his friends, they'd been surprised by the newcomer too. He hadn't seen anyone walk up.

"H-hi, Sans," Dogamy said, fixing his ears after they'd flipped inside out. "Wow, you're really good at sneaking up on people. I didn't smell you coming at all."

"funny, 'cause i haven't washed this hoodie in three weeks," Sans replied lightly, and the tense mood quickly vanished as the others laughed--though Doggo didn't quite trust this guy yet. He still hadn't seen him move at all--not even to talk.

"How are you liking the sentry job? Doggo here's been a sentry for a while now, he might have some tips," Dogaressa asked, making friendly conversation.

"Maybe for not getting bored," Doggo retorted, earning a few chuckles of his own.

"hey, i can live with that. actually, i don't think it's possible with my brother around... ever since he got me the job, he acts like it's his job too."

"He said something about becoming captain of the Guard. Is he really serious about that?" Doggo questioned, trying to face where Sans' voice was coming from.

Finally, movement as Sans shrugged, and Doggo caught a short figure in a blue hoodie. "serious as he can be. of course, he's got a ways to go, but i guess some of us have to have dreams."

"Yeah. I mostly dream about chasing sticks," Dogamy said, propping his head on his paw. "Oh, and you, of course, pup."

"I was about to say," Dogaressa teased.

"heh. anyway. i better get back to work or he'll be on my tailbone about it all day. see you guys later."

Doggo could only sense an absence--there were no footsteps or anything to suggest Sans had walked away. It gave him a weird feeling--and apparently he wasn't alone.

"Wh... where'd he go?" Dogamy uttered. "I turned, and he's gone?"

"He's a strange one," Dogaressa commented.

"Wait, so, you guys didn't see him leave either?" Doggo asked, pressing for confirmation.

"Nope. We looked away and he was gone," Dogaressa confirmed. "He must be very fast. That's good for a sentry..."

"Yeah, but it's gonna be awful for me. I can already tell he's gonna pull the same pranks you guys do, but even more annoying."

"Oh dog, yeah," Dogamy agreed. "He might even start pranking _us_ like that."

"Hey, it's about time you guys got a taste of it," Doggo jabbed good-naturedly. "Somebody's gotta keep you sharp."

"Fair enough," Dogamy conceded, putting up his paws.

"Needless to say, I think work's just gotten a lot more interesting."

Dogaressa giggled. "To borrow a joke Sans told me earlier... you could say it's gotten a ton more interesting--a _skele_ -ton."

Doggo snorted, but couldn't help agreeing.

-

It was his turn to patrol, and though he could admit getting to stretch his legs was good, it was one of Doggo's less favorite aspects of his job. Walks were... interesting for him. Since the ground didn't move, he couldn't see it, and had to rely on the trees moving in relation to one another to judge where he was. It wasn't infallible, since the trees also, technically, weren't moving--so he had to bolster whatever he did catch with his other senses. He shuffled through the snow even though it made his toes cold, and he could kind of tell where stuff was based on how the sound echoed around him... But it was far from perfect, and he was always worried he'd trip or run into someone.

Naturally, today was the day he did both.

His foot connected with something solid, and he tumbled head over tail with a grunt to land unceremoniously in the snow.

"Sans! What did you do now--oh, Doggo! It's you!"

He found himself picked up and dusted off, then set back on his feet. "Papyrus? I tripped over you?"

"Yes! Not to worry, all is forgiven!"

"What were you even doing?" Doggo asked, turning towards the sound of his voice. "Usually, I can at least hear you..."

Papyrus swam into view as he posed proudly. "I'm glad you asked! You see! Undyne is, as of yet, undecided on my status as a Guardsman... But! Seeing my dedication and many talents, she's ordained that I am to be in charge of puzzles around here! So, I was doing some maintenance."

"Hey, I'm glad she finally found someone to take it. Everyone's been saying we need puzzles, but either no one knows how--or they don't want to. I guess that's one thing you've got going for you. If you're busy, I'll leave you to it..."

"I was just finishing up!" Papyrus replied brightly, and Dogg heard a metallic lid snap shut. "Today, it's repairing rusty pressure panels, tomorrow, Royal Guardsman!"

"Still aiming to move up, huh?" Doggo said with a smile as he turned to keep walking, and he could hear Papyrus keeping pace with him. "Did Captain Undyne test your combat skill yet? That's pretty important for a guard."

"Of course! Rest assured I've been practicing my battle readiness. Undyne and I have even sparred a few times... But, she says I need more training before I can join properly."

"Well hey, at least you're sparring with her. Most of us can't last more than a few turns against her--she's really tough. I can handle it for a little while, but... then she sends out those spears that switch direction on ya. It always trips me up."

"Ooh, those are some of her best attacks! I've not bested her yet either," Papyrus sympathized, "but! One day! I'll impress her with my bullet patterns and finesse! And you will too!"

Doggo scratched the back of his head bashfully. "Yeah, well, I better practice more too then. I learned blue magic a while back but--"

"You can use blue magic too?! This is fantastic!" Papyrus jumped into view--literally. "You have to show me! I'm sure it's great!"

"W--wait, you mean, right now?"

"Absolutely! I mean, if you'd like to, of course."

"Eh, it'll pass the time. Let's at least get back to my sentry station though, I shoulda been back five minutes ago."

"Oh no! That won't do--Sans already slacks off as it is, we don't need another hole in our defenses!"

Papyrus rushed ahead, and Doggo chuckled as he broke into a jog to chase after him. He hadn't been far from his station to begin with, and they reached it only moments later. Papyrus already waited on one side of the road, while Doggo took his place opposite. He drew his daggers--more to complete his Look than any intent.

"Alright. If you don't want to get hurt... don't move an inch!"

The battle initiated, magic flaring up around the two monsters. Doggo waited for Papyrus to make his move--it was tradition to let the challenged act first. He chose to fight, sending out a few small bone arrays that crisscrossed the board--Doggo didn't know what else he'd expected. He leapt over them easily, then focused. It was his turn now.

"Not bad, not bad. Okay, here goes--this is how I'll check for humans!"

He spun his dagger, then concentrated, cloaking it in shimmering turquoise magic that extended the blade. Spell cast, he swept the weapon across the board--unable to see if anything was there, but knowing his magic would find it if it so much as twitched. But Papyrus had listened, and his attack met no resistance.

Actually... he couldn't see Papyrus at all? Normally, he moved....

"Papyrus?"

"Sorry, I'm just concentrating! Your attack was quite good!" Papyrus answered promptly. "It'll catch a human off-guard for sure! Now! Prepare yourself... for my attack!"

Papyrus sent more bones his way, and Doggo had to actually work this time, weaving from side to side, ducking, and freezing at just the right moment as luminous aqua bones slid by. Papyrus' first attack hadn't impressed him, but this showed real promise.

"Wow, you're not bad yourself. Alright, my next move's coming up."

He generally relied on his blue magic, but Papyrus was inspiring him to branch out. He took both daggers and mirrored them with white magic constructs that stabbed down, first one side, then the other. He hoped it was a technique that would catch anything not moving too, and this one did catch Papyrus with a glancing blow.

"Excellent work! Now, hope you're ready for this!"

Papyrus' next pattern was even more complex than the last, with bones coming from both sides while zigzagging at the same time. Doggo definitely appreciated all the moving parts--though, it was kind of making him hungry. But, there was another problem. Papyrus was clearly a decent attacker, but... so far, all his attacks--even though they were increasingly elaborate--had been fairly easy to avoid. Doggo hadn't been hit by a single one.

"You're getting better... but, aren't you aiming to be captain? So come on! You wanna impress Undyne, right? After this, you gotta show me your best move!"

He attacked again, focusing on both his blades and surrounding them in blue magic again before taking alternating swipes at the board. It was one of his own strongest techniques, and empowering two blades at ones was tiring. He'd still be good for several more rounds, but probably wouldn't be doing that move again.

"Well, I'm saving my best moves for just the right occasion... it's a very special attack, you see," Papyrus explained. "But! How perceptive of you! You're right... I've been holding back. Now, bear witness to... my next attack!"

Doggo braced himself, as bones of all sizes sped past--plain white magic at first, before slowly building to blue--and then _he_ was blue, and the bones that his soul was suddenly in range of took him by surprise. Papyrus was cackling proudly--it was a little odd, but, it didn't seem malicious in any case. The dude was just really into fighting...? Kinda like Undyne.

"Nyeh heh heh! How do you like my blue attack? I think any humans will be duly impressed by my skill--why, they may surrender at my feet at the mere sight of it! And then--and then!! Oh! I suppose that's good enough, right? You can spare me now if you're tired."

Doggo smiled and passed his paw over the option, and the battle interface faded away. He was a little out of breath now--geez, maybe he needed to work out more. That had been a little more intense than he expected.

"Well, I gotta say, that was quite the fight. Maybe you do have what it takes."

"Really?!" Papyrus gasped, and even Doggo could see his eyes sparkling.

He shrugged, rolling his shoulders as he turned back to his station. "I mean, not a lot of monsters can use soul magic. That's pretty special. You showed that to Undyne, right?"

"Yes! It's a key part of my battle. I need to get the dog to stop eating my special attack halfway through, but, it's a work in progress! Don't judge!"

Doggo held up his paws. "Hey, don't look at me! Though, gotta say, using bone attacks around a bunch of dogs is asking for trouble."

Papyrus grunted. "Perhaps. I can't very well use my non-bone attacks though, it's just not done. Thank you for showing me your non-skating blades though! It was very cool and will definitely help us capture a human yet. I can feel it..."

"In your bones?" Doggo suggested with a smirk, and Papyrus erupted.

"No!! Not you too! My brother is a corruption, a plague! He's taught all you dogs bad habits, ugh. I guess I really will have to become captain in order to set a good example. And I'll start! By cleaning up my mess. You'll never see my brother pick up his attacks after a fight!"

Doggo lowered a brow, watching as Papyrus scurried around the road, collecting things he hadn't noticed because they weren't moving.

"...Mostly because he never fights."

Doggo finally made out that the stacks of things in Papyrus' arms were bones--his attacks?

"Hmm, don't think I missed any... Well, that pesky dog will probably get it. Oh, sorry Doggo, not you. The other dog. No, not any of the other dogs either... never mind! I hope you'll spar with me again sometime! I am always up for a friendly battle... of both attrition, and wits! Nyeh heh heh heh! See you later!"

With a wave, he was gone. Doggo checked the time--well hey, they'd passed a decent amount of the afternoon. He'd be off soon, which was good--those bones really had made him hungry. Did he still have some dog treats, or had he smoked them all like a fool...? He rummaged around and--oh good, he had a couple to tide him over.

It was exciting to find another blue magic user; most of the other dogs could use it as well, but he'd seen all their attacks by now. Everyone used their magic a little differently--so maybe he could learn a couple things from how Papyrus wielded his. That blue soul magic was a total standout though. Undyne was the only other monster Doggo knew of who could use soul magic, and look how tough _she_ was. Maybe Papyrus really did have what it took to be on the guard--and be really great at it too.

It would depend on Undyne, but Doggo could see it happening someday soon.

-

Papyrus was in a bind.

Literally.

His brother had made a variety of similarly awful puns before walking off, leaving him hanging.

Again, literally.

Papyrus sighed, and tried shifting so his arm wasn't pressed to his back at such an awkward angle--to no avail. The good news was, his immobilizing rope trap worked perfectly. The bad news was, it worked _too_ perfectly. The low-level magical electricity humming through the specially designed cord--expertly crafted by none other than himself--functioned exactly as designed. Which meant he was more or less paralyzed and wouldn't be able to move until someone turned the generator off.

His brother had proven entirely useless in that regard, and for once Papyrus was genuinely mad at him for taking everything as a joke when he really was stuck. He loved Sans, but sometimes he was just insufferable. Maybe he'd come back later...

He'd finally spun enough he could see down the road--oh! There were pedestrians--well, one pedestrian. He tried to wave--right. Immobilized. At least he could still speak.

"Hello! Yes! Follow the entrancing sound of my melodious voice upwards..."

The monster, a little rodent-like fellow, looked up with a baffled expression.

"Hello! I could use your help!"

The monster squeaked and tore off, apparently terrified.

Papyrus frowned. So much for that. Maybe someone else would come along... eventually...

"Well I think my hat is the best, it's clearly got the smoothest ice."

"What are you talking about? My hat's the best, it's got a ton of spikes--count 'em!"

Papyrus glanced around--there! A pair of Ice Caps, coming from behind. If he could get them to stop comparing hats for long enough... Which was no easy thing, but he had to try.

"Hello, my fellow fashion-forward friends! I could use some help--"

The Ice Caps looked up at him, then at one another--then back at him.

"Okay, but only if you can tell us who has the better hat... It's mine, by the way."

"Hey, no fair! You can't sway his opinion like that--especially 'cause my hat is the best!"

"Yeah right!"

"Augh, I just want you to admit I have the better hat, it's not hard!"

"It is, because you're wrong!"

Papyrus cleared his throat, but the Ice Caps continued down the road, too absorbed in their own egotistical argument. Couldn't they see that both their hats were nice? Also, identical...? Well, it wasn't important, because he was still stuck.

He didn't know how long he'd hung there, spinning slowly, waiting for another person to walk by. Where in the world was his layabout brother?! Did he really think he could get out of this on his own?! ... Actually, that was probably exactly it--Sans simply figured he'd work out a solution and had nothing to worry about... Well, the joke would be on him when he'd come home to an empty house, his brother tragically ensnared by his own trap!

He heaved another sigh.

A pair of monsters strolled beneath him. This was his chance!

"Excuse me! Could I get a little help?"

The two looked up--and burst out laughing.

"You look a little 'tied up' there, buddy!" one jeered.

"Having fun 'hanging out'? Ha!" the other hooted, slapping their knee. "How'd you get 'roped' into this one?!"

"Oh, oh, I got one--looks like he got really 'wrapped up' in his work!"

The two cackled, and Papyrus tried not to glare at them.

"Yes, my misfortune is very amusing. Are two you going to help me or not?"

"Ah, you'll be fine, kid! Just wait 'til the guys at Grillb's hear about this!"

Papyrus glowered--an expression he didn't make often--as the two monsters shuffled off, laughing at more awful puns. No wonder Sans liked them. He was starting to wonder if anyone was ever going to help him down...

W-well, it was fine! He had an excellent vantage point in case a human appeared--which, of _course_ a human would appear on the day he was incapacitated, completely ruining his chances to... No! He'd get out of this, and capture a human, it was fine, he had this totally under control, he--

Footsteps padded below him, and Papyrus didn't know whether to be hopeful or brace himself for another barrage of humiliation. He looked down, and--

"Doggo!"

"Wha--?!" Doggo froze, looking around--everywhere except upwards, but at least he'd stopped.

"I'm directly above you!"

Doggo looked up, squinting. "Where? I can't see you..."

"Well, yes, and there is a very good explanation for that! I seem to have caught myself in my own trap... so I can't move at all!"

Doggo's eyes widened. "Oh geez. You're stuck up... somewhere? In this trap?"

"Yep. Embarrassingly... To think something so ridiculous could happen to someone as great as me..."

"Uh, so, do you need help getting down?"

Papyrus could have wilted with relief. "Yes! Oh my god!!"

"O-okay, what can I do? I, er, can't see anything..."

"I shall guide you! There's a small generator creating the magical electricity that's immobilized me attached to a nearby tree. You must find it, and shut it off!"

Doggo gave a nervous laugh. "Oh boy, that sounds like a bunch of stuff I can't see... but, I'll do my best. Where's this tree?"

Haltingly, painstakingly, Papyrus guided Doggo to the tree where the generator was. It took a while, but Papyrus was just glad someone was finally helping him. He'd spun so he couldn't see it himself, so for a moment, Doggo was left to his own devices.

"Oh hey, I feel the rope--I could just cut it, that should--"

"Do not do that please!" Papyrus interrupted quickly. "You might contact the live wire and become immobilized yourself! Or!! If you do cut through it and do not become immobilized, I might fall on my head and I do not wish to find out how tough my skull is, so, maybe don't!"

Doggo grunted. "Good points. Okay, I'll keep looking..."

"Excellent! You can't be far--it's tucked right between the roots."

"A metal box, right? I think I feel it--is there a button or--is it this?"

The power keeping Papyrus rigid vanished, and the rope released. He only had a moment to regain control of his magic--but just like that, he was floating down lightly as a feather. As soon as his boots hit the road, he dashed over to Doggo and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"You did it! I knew you could! Thank you so much!!!"

All the movement meant Doggo could see him again, and he grinned as Papyrus shook him around. "Hahah, of course! I'm glad it was easy."

"Through my expert guidance of course! Here! A bone for your troubles!"

He conjured a bone and handed it to Doggo, who took it with some bewilderment.

"Oh, thanks...?"

"You can chew on it, it's fine! Though, I'd hope you'd keep it as a memento of my gratitude... But I understand if you simply can't resist! I am very irresistible."

Doggo snorted. "Sure. Hey, I'm glad you're okay. How long were you even up there?"

"Hmm... Well, I was working on it at around nine..."

Doggo pinned his ears back. "It's... four in the afternoon. No one helped you in seven hours?!"

"Yes... but, it's fine! Because you helped me! But if you'll excuse me, I have some major workshopping to do. The immobilizing rope trap is too powerful in its current form... Also, I need to give a stern talking-to to my brother, who has no doubt taken this chance to be extremely lazy."

Doggo made a face. "That would explain why he was in Grillby's so much today..."

Papyrus grimaced. "I knew it. Anyway, Doggo, you have proven yourself to be very reliable, an upstanding member of the Royal Guard! I am lucky to count you among my colleagues!"

"Hey, it was nothin'..." Doggo replied, scratching the back of his neck bashfully. "You should get going. I think you've been, er... 'held up' long enough."

Papyrus froze, then sagged to let out the most dramatic groan he could muster. "I'm leaving if only to escape all the awful puns I've been forced to endure!"

Doggo laughed. "Sorry, sorry, couldn't help it."

"Yes! You could!"

Doggo laughed harder, and Papyrus was pleased with himself.

"Alright. I really am grateful, and I really am going. See you later, Doggo!"

"See ya. Don't walk into any more traps," Doggo called after him as he jogged off, and he shook his head.

For one, he didn't have any more traps like that set--nor would he ever, as it had backfired spectacularly. For two... at least Doggo had taken him seriously. Until he'd shown up, he'd been feeling very... lonely... Which was a feeling he very much didn't like. He'd have to try harder to be noticed for sure--and also come up with far better puzzles.

And, maybe, find another way to thank Doggo too.

-

With a blink, Sans was at Doggo's station. For reasons that boiled down to quantum physics shenanigans, Doggo was the only person he could shortcut directly in front of, and it was honestly pretty interesting. But Sans wasn't here to make scientific observations. He was in position--he just had to execute.

_Ding-ding!_

Doggo jolted up from where he'd been dozing and squinted. "Hello? Who's there...?"

Sans rang the bell again.

Doggo grimaced. "Oh come on, not again. Knock it off you guys."

The bell chimed yet again.

"C'mon... Let me guess, it's the big guy."

A fourth time.

"Okay, seriously. Who's there?"

"'sup."

Doggo's eyes went wide. "Bah, I should've known! You're the only guy who shows up without moving at all. There's a reason I like your brother better."

"hey, i like him better too," Sans conceded. "anyway, had to mess with ya. someone's gotta keep things interesting around here."

Doggo flopped to lay his head on the desk. "Yeah, you and everyone else who likes to prank me. Another thing I like about your brother--he keeps things interesting _without_ messing with me."

Sans chuckled, leaning against Doggo's station. "oh yeah, he's cool like that, huh? i never know what he's gonna do next. he spent all night the other night painting one of the rock bridges outside of town to look like a rope bridge. i'd ask if you'd seen it, but..."

Doggo sat up. "Wait, so _that's_ why it smelled like paint the last time I passed through?"

"yep. it's super convincing too--you'd never know it was just rock underneath. i dunno anyone else who has the focus for something like that."

"Yeah, that's pretty crazy. I know he gets really into his puzzles--it's pretty incredible. Papyrus sure is something else."

Sans felt a flicker of pride--but only briefly, because footsteps announced the approach of--

_Jerry._

"Oh, you guys are talking about Papyrus? Yeah, isn't he super weird?"

Sans bristled--metaphorically. Doggo bristled literally.

"You got a problem with him?" he growled, narrowing his eyes in the direction of Jerry's voice.

"I mean, he's like, super loud, always in people's faces, boring everyone with his dumb puzzles... He's like, really obnoxious, right? Everyone knows that," Jerry continued, shrugging like it was obvious.

Sans made to speak--but Doggo, eye twitching, beat him to it again. He stood quickly, leaning on his hands.

"So what!? He's not hurting anyone, and he sure as hell isn't rude on purpose, unlike _some_ people."

Jerry failed to get the hint. "Oh sure, I mean, I pretend to be his friend too--"

"I ain't pretending!" Doggo barked, and Jerry blinked.

"and i'm his brother," Sans added.

Jerry shifted nervously. "W-well, whatever, no wonder you guys are lame. You're all in the losers club with Papyrus."

Sans had had enough. "hey doggo. wanna see something funny?"

"I mean, I dunno if I'll be able to," Doggo grumbled.

"trust me, even if you can't you're gonna love it," Sans continued. "say, jerry, old pal. what's that behind you?"

"Huh?" Jerry turned--and then, he was gone.

"that takes care of that," Sans said, and Doggo squinted.

"What'd you do?"

"i ditched jerry for us."

"You... moved him... without moving?"

"yup."

"I didn't know that was possible."

"it's not."

Doggo made a face. "I'm gonna do Jerry one better: both of you guys are weird."

Sans chuckled--he couldn't deny that. "yep. but hey... thanks for sticking up for my brother. he doesn't have a lot of friends, so..."

Doggo sat back with a shrug. "Hey, he really is a good kid. I dunno why Jerry's got such a problem with him, but that's just... Jerry. If nothing else I like him 'cause I can always tell he's there... but, he's always trying to cheer people up too."

Sans felt that warm sensation of pride again. "yeah, he's a real star. i dunno what i'd do without him some days."

Doggo pulled a smile. "Well... I may not like you much, but I'm glad we can agree on your brother being pretty great."

"yup. anyway, i better get going. it's about time for my afternoon nap."

Doggo snorted. "Oh, don't let me keep you. That's important business."

"oh yeah, though papyrus would disagree. hey... considering our brush with jerry... if you see him today, make sure to be nice to him, ok?"

"You don't even have to ask," Doggo replied, shaking his head.

"great. makes my job easier. alright, catch ya later pal," Sans said, then shortcut back to his station and got settled in.

He really was glad to see someone stick up for his brother, but now that he thought about it, Papyrus had mentioned Doggo to him a few times now. Sparring sessions, passing conversations--he'd even helped him out of that immobilizing rope debacle a while back (Sans had figured his brother could get himself out of that somehow--he'd been wrong and felt bad about that, but it'd turned out fine so there wasn't much to be done about it). It sucked that Papyrus really struggled to make friends--Jerry, unfortunately, was right that a lot of monsters found his boundless energy overwhelming...

At least there was one person around--besides him--that could appreciate it.

-

Papyrus ran, kicking up plumes of snow in his enthusiasm. "Doggo!"

The sentry poked his head out of his station, ears pricked.

He skidded to a halt in front of him. "Look at the absolutely magnificent costume my brother and I made! I'm never taking it off!"

Doggo raised his brows eagerly. "Hold on, hold on, I got a little of it--mind moving some more?"

"Oh! Like this?" Papyrus asked--and began vibrating in place.

"Wah!" Doggo yelped, startled--but at least it seemed like he could see him well enough, and he gaped in awe as he took it all in. "Wow, you guys made all that? You look kinda like a superhero."

Papyrus beamed. "We were going for 'powerful knight', but superhero is hardly a disappointment! I'll take it!"

Doggo nodded, leaning back into his chair. "Nice work. What's the occasion?"

"We've been invited to a costume party! Well, Sans was. But, I'm his plus-one, so it's fine!"

"Well, I bet it'll be fun."

"Of course, because I'll be there! Are you going, Doggo?"

"Nah, I don't like parties much. People tend to stand around... I might as well hang out in an empty room."

Papyrus nodded sagely. "I can see how that would be less than fun! Unless sitting in empty rooms is just what you do, of course.... I'm trying to convince Sans to dress up too, but all his ideas are horrible puns. I'm doing my best, but he doesn't give me much to work with."

"Hah! I bet not. You two are like total opposites, huh?"

"I wish he was slightly less the opposite of me sometimes," Papyrus grumbled, "but, if he changed too much he just wouldn't be Sans anymore, and that won't do. I'll just have to keep encouraging him, that's all!"

"You're pretty good at that. It's gotta work someday."

"That's right! I can't give up! I won't give up! And neither can anyone else! I won't let them!" Papyrus boasted, striking a pose befitting his appearance. He really did feel much more heroic wearing it--like a real guard, even if it had been cobbled together from old clothes and spare parts. The important thing was that he and his brother had made it together, and he really stood out now.

"Y'know, they could hire you for Royal Cheerleader with that attitude," Doggo joked, but Papyrus instantly found his imagination running away with him. The possibilities...!

"I _am_ stunningly handsome, and the best at encouragements... Is that a thing? Are they hiring? Who do I talk to?!"

Doggo snorted, covering his mouth as he laughed with a paw before holding both up placatingly. "Easy, easy. I don't know if the position exists yet. Maybe you should ask the king. Or Undyne."

Papyrus paced, hand tapping his chin. "Parading down the streets, shouting my wisdom to passers-by, wearing a cute outfit..."

Doggo watched him, anticipating whatever he'd say next.

"Wait a minute! I already do that! The position's been filled... by me! Well, there goes that idea. Guess I'll just have to keep trying to be a Royal Guard."

Doggo laughed again. "Yeah...Say, Undyne still hasn't made her decision on that? How long's it been since you asked her, anyway?"

Papyrus was a little glad Doggo wouldn't notice the nerves in his smile. "Oh, a couple years, but who's counting!"

Doggo blinked at him in surprise. "Huh. It's really been that long...? Well, you're not a wimp--you've gotta be getting close."

"I definitely am! My special training is going well--there's no way I'm not getting into the Guard! Then everyone's respect and love will be mine! Nyeh heh heh heh heh!"

Doggo laughed again. "Well, if nothin' else that costume's gonna get you noticed. Thanks for showing it to me."

"But of course! Papyrus leaves no one out of experiencing his latest brilliance!" Papyrus replied with an elaborate bow. "On that note, I have more people to show this battle bod off to! I'll see you later!"

Doggo, still laughing, returned his parting wave as he dashed off once more. It was fun visiting Doggo--he always seemed happy to see him. Papyrus supposed it had something to do with him being able to, well, see him more often than not. It was nice to at least have that.

He suppressed a down-hearted sigh, and focused on sharing his fantastic costume with the next person he met. He couldn't give up either.

-

"Overall, not bad," Undyne pronounced, and Doggo tried not to wilt with relief. He hadn't practiced as much as he should have...

"You're tough as always, Captain," he replied as he put away his knives. "I don't think anyone can ever beat you. Except for maybe ol' Fluffybuns if he really tried..."

Undyne barked a laugh. "I HAVE beaten him, you know... But, I think I'd agree with you--the king's no pushover. Anyway, you can head out. I've got the Dogi coming in a few, so..."

Doggo nodded, then paused as he remembered something. "Oh yeah--I've been wondering, Captain... Speaking of good fighters, you know Papyrus wants to be on the guard, has for a while now. I know he's always sayin' he wants your job, but... We could use a guy like him on the team."

Doggo heard her give a short sigh.

"He's... not ready."

Doggo furrowed his brow. "After... what... a few years, I think he said? I thought you were training him."

He caught the motion of Undyne rubbing her face. "I... Look. Trust me, he's not cut out for it. I love the guy as much as anyone, and sure he's a hard worker, but... I just can't."

It was Doggo's turn to sigh, his heart sinking on Papyrus' behalf. "I guess you would know, being the Captain an' all. You gonna tell him?"

Undyne gestured wildly, which helped him figure out where she was. "I can't! Do you think you could break that kind of thing to such a sweet, smiling face?! I only wanna crush him in battle, not his spirit! Argh!!!"

Doggo laid his ears back. Getting into the Guard and climbing the ranks was Papyrus' dream... There weren't many of those to hold on to in the Underground--even he had doubts he'd ever see the surface, vision problems notwithstanding. There were some days it could be really hard...

"Yeah. I can see how that'd make things difficult... What're you gonna do?"

Undyne sighed--a full, exasperated sigh. "Keep giving him 'special training' I guess... Hope he finds something different to latch onto eventually. Y'know, when I was little, I had a phase where I thought for sure I was gonna be the next Riverperson--I could steer that boat, no problem! I'd make it go REALLY fast and get everyone where they needed to go in no time flat."

Doggo burst out laughing. "Really?! That doesn't seem like you at all!"

"I'm serious! Really--one day... I marched right up to the Riverperson, pointed at them, and said 'I'm gonna have your job!'... And they just said 'no', straight to my face. I was completely devastated."

"Oh my god. They did that to a little kid?"

"Yep. I mean, it's pretty funny looking back on it now, but at the time it felt like my life was over. I moved on pretty fast--I found out about sharks and was convinced I'd grow up to be one by the next week. But, my point is..."

"You don't wanna put Papyrus through that kind of heartbreak."

"Yeah. I get the feeling he isn't gonna find out about, I dunno, dinosaurs, and do something with that if I tell him he can't be a guard. So... I'm glad you've got his back, but... I just don't think it's a good idea. And you can't tell him either."

Doggo shut his eyes, even his tail drooping. "I feel the same--I can't do that to him. I guess we better hope that last human comes soon... so maybe we all can have different dreams."

Undyne considered him thoughtfully. "Yeah. I hope so too."

Doggo perked back up with a wincing smile. "Well, on that cheery note, I better head back to my station. I think I can hear the Dogi whispering sweet nothings to each other already."

Undyne rolled her eye. "Oh boy. Alright, keep up the good work."

That put the wag back in his tail, but as Doggo made his way back to the boat landing, he couldn't stop thinking about what Undyne had said. He could understand where she was coming from... It took more than being a capable fighter to get into the Guard--you had to truly dedicate yourself to defending the King, all monsters... and destroying humans. Doggo had no doubt Papyrus had the first two covered, but that last one... He seemed more eager to merely give humans challenging puzzles and capture them than do whatever it took to obtain the last soul.

He shook his head. It was just as Undyne said--Papyrus was likable, a constant source of levity in a place that sorely needed it--but maybe the Royal Guard just wasn't the right place for him. Doggo really hoped he'd find something else...

He clambered into the Riverperson's boat, and smiled as he recalled the other thing she'd told him. "Did Undyne really want your job back when she was a kid? I can't believe you told her no right to her face."

"Tra la la... I love my boat," the Riverperson said, in such a tone that it was obvious they would never dream of retiring.

Doggo snorted as he settled in for the ride. "I guess we all gotta find something we love. Oh, right--take me back to Snowdin, please."

A short boat ride later, and Doggo was back in Snowdin's brisk air, snow crunching under his paws. He couldn't say which place he liked better, but Waterfall perhaps had a slight lead--both snow and mud were fun to roll around in, but one didn't leave you chilled to the--

"SANS THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU GET THE JUMP ON ME YOU NE'ER-DO-WELL! SERIOUSLY I'M AT MY LIMIT--WHOOPSIESORRYDOGGOBUTJAPERYISAFOOTBYE!"

A speeding Papyrus had nearly taken him out as he tore through the town square, leaving Doggo and any other bystanders thoroughly perplexed. They could only exchange bemused shrugs, then continue on their day--Snowdin had gotten a lot more lively ever since the brothers had moved in. Maybe that was something it had over Waterfall.

Doggo laughed to himself. No matter what Papyrus ended up doing, at least he was having fun now--and by extension, everyone else did too.

-

Grillby knew all his patrons well. He prided himself on building an establishment where anyone could come in from the cold for some hot food and good company; the risky move out from Hotland all those years ago had proven well worth it many times over. He had a steady base of loyal customers, many of which came in every day to catch up on the latest gossip and jokes.

"Did ya see Mettaton's new show last night? He looked amazing!"

"Sure, but which one? He premiered three!"

A round of laughter, and Grillby smiled to himself as he organized the drink cabinet. Mettaton was definitely a popular conversation topic--Grillby didn't watch any of his shows, but he hardly needed to.

"Those teens are causing trouble again! This is the third time they've stolen my sunglasses!"

"...Um... aren't they... right there on your head?"

Grillby glanced over in time to see that yes, they were. The teens were off the hook... this time.

"I really don't get this week's crossword... I'm stuck on this last one."

"Oh yeah... I heard from the folks at the librarby that there was a typo."

Papers flew. "Really?! Argh!"

Grillby put the last of the fresh dishes away, then looked up at the sound of the front door opening--ah, it was break time for the dog guards. They were some of his favorite customers--though he wished they'd stop eating stuff off the floor. At least they left their table clean...ish. If nothing else, they often had good chatter. The other regulars greeted them as they took their seats, and Grillby headed over to take their order. Dog food, as usual, though Dogamy mixed it up by asking for chicken flavor instead of his typical beef. A few moments later, Grillby passed out their orders, then settled in to listen to the next bout of chatter.

"So, you know how Papyrus was all worked up yesterday?" Doggo began, and the other dogs nodded. "Well, I found out why--and it's _hilarious_."

Grillby allowed himself a small smile while he cleaned the counter. Ever since their arrival, those skeletons had been a common topic of conversation. It seemed they were always getting up to some manner of mischief.

"Okay, so, everyone heard him hooting and hollering, generally raising a ruckus--turns out? All of that was because _Undyne_ gave him _coffee._ "

The table burst out laughing, and many of the other regulars who'd been listening joined in.

"Oh my god! The captain?! Really?!" Dogaressa howled in amused disbelief.

"Coffee?! It did all that?" Dogamy added, bewildered. "I didn't think he was ever going to stop!"

Doggo nodded. "Yeah, me neither--he was practically vibrating out of his bones every time I saw him--which, considering how often he ran by, was a lot. I guess he ended up redoing every puzzle along the road until he finally crashed and his brother took him home."

"Please tell me he's banned from coffee?" one of the regulars called from the bar, earning more laughter, but Doggo nodded.

"Undyne's learned her lesson. I heard Sans actually got off his butt to give her a talking to."

"Wow. Well, good to know it was just that and not something more serious," Dogamy surmised, and Doggo nodded.

"Yeah. I was honestly a little worried about him afterward--he seemed super out of it. But he was up and at 'em today like usual, so I guess he's fine."

"That's good. He can be a lot normally, but that was too much--even for him, apparently," Dogaressa said, earning more chuckles. "I hope he got some rest. He's definitely made things interesting around here, hasn't he?"

"Oh yeah--I know any day he stops by is just a bit less boring," Doggo agreed. "Well, with that, I better head back out."

"Us too," Dogamy said. "Thanks for telling us what was up--I was gonna be thinking about it for days!"

The dogs shuffled from their chairs, leaving their tips on the table. Once they'd cleared out, Grillby hurried to clear the spot with practiced efficiency. He was glad Doggo had shared the story too--he'd heard Papyrus' distinct cackle in the small hours of the night during that incident, and couldn't fathom what he'd been doing up at that hour. Considering how energetic he was normally, it made sense caffeine would push that into overdrive.

It was just a little more surprising that Sans hadn't mentioned it at all.

As if on cue, the short skeleton sauntered in, greeting the other regulars with his usual lax attitude and easy jokes before taking his place at the bar. Grillby finished wiping the table down, carried the dishes back, then went to take his order. A burger, unsurprisingly--though he did order the fries on occasion, if only to drown them in ketchup. Grillby listened with amusement as he bantered with the others, switching topics and jokes at a moment's notice as other patrons came and went. Grillby didn't always appreciate his humor, but he did appreciate what it did for the atmosphere of his restaurant.

And then a lull came, as it often did in the afternoon, and Sans was the only one at the bar for the time being, tracing his finger through the condensation that had collected under his milk glass. He was harder to read than most--being a skeleton and all--but Grillby was no stranger to subtle expressions, and could tell he had something on his mind. It was only a question of whether he'd share.

"hey grillbz..." Sans started, and Grillby tilted his head towards him.

"i've been thinking... trying to figure out how to help my brother. he's been kinda down lately, but i'm not sure why."

Grillby cast him a sympathetic look. It was well-known how much Sans cared for his brother, despite caring about little else. And Papyrus was well-known for being endlessly cheerful--to the point it could be off-putting--so the thought of him being down was troubling.

"think maybe it's got to do with undyne not letting him into the guard after so long... he's been working really hard, and even though he says otherwise, it's gotta be tough making no progress on that... but hey, what do i know? not like i work hard on anything. my bro's really cool like that."

Grillby gave a slight smile. Sans would always--always--brag about his brother any chance he got... as long as Papyrus wasn't in the room. Then, it was all brotherly teasing.

"but i think the other thing eatin' at him... well, he doesn't have a whole lot of friends. i'm... pretty sure it's maybe one, two, and of course my bro wants more than that. i do my best to convince everyone, but, i think they just don't get him."

At this, Grillby lowered a flickering brow. He was fairly certain the dog guard all considered Papyrus a friend, if only a distant one--they'd been in here only moments ago, hoping he'd recovered from his brush with caffeine. Had he really not noticed?

"either way, i gotta figure out something nice to do for him, take his mind off things. if you get any bright ideas, let me know, heheh. oh yeah, i'm adding this one to the tab. tasted great as usual."

Grillby nodded, and watched him amble off; ever since he'd learned about the tab system Sans had made full use of it. Grillby did wonder if he'd ever see it paid off... but, considering what he did for the bar's energy, he'd cut him a little slack. Papyrus had the same effect on the town, even if he didn't know it.

Maybe one day, he would.

-

"Doggo!!!"

Papyrus' voice rang out across the street, and Doggo nearly jumped out of his fur. How did it always happen like this? Somehow--despite him being someone he could reliably see--Papyrus was always sneaking up on him. His guide dog paused to look up at him, but he was focused on Papyrus as he flutter-jumped over traffic to land next to him.

"Papyrus?! What's up, I haven't seen you since your last press release on TV--ambassador?!"

"Yes! Isn't it amazing? It's like that Royal Cheerleader thing you talked about!"

Doggo staggered. "Oh my dog, you remember that?! I haven't thought about it since I made it up, hah!"

"Oh. So... you made it up..."

"W-wait, I didn't mean--"

"Nyeh heh! My disappointment is merely a jape! I knew it wasn't a thing. Except! Now! It kind of is! Never joke about things that could happen, I guess, is the message you could take away from that."

Doggo chuckled. "Heh, I guess. Oh yeah! Papyrus, this is my guide dog, Spot! She keeps me outta trouble these days."

Papyrus bent to greet her. "Why hello Spot! I'm glad Doggo finally has someone looking out for him! I'm sure you are the best at what you do!"

"It's been great--she keeps me from running into people, doors, traffic--she can even get the lights or stuff I need... I really love her, she's such a good girl!" Doggo couldn't help but gush, and Spot wagged her tail.

"I'm so happy for you! Who knew dogs were so popular even on the surface!"

"Yeah! I'm in no shortage of petting these days, that's for sure," Doggo chuckled. "Oh yeah--me and the rest of the old Snowdin unit were gonna get together at the dog park next weekend. You're probably busy, but I figured I'd invite my old friend along too."

"Oh? And which friend is that?"

Doggo furrowed his brows. Papyrus didn't think they were friends...? "You, ya dork. We've hung out so many times, I thought it was obvious."

Papyrus stared. "Oh. My gosh. I am so sorry!!! I thought--it seemed--I didn't want to presume--thank you!!! I should have realized all along! Truly, this is the dorkest timeline!"

Doggo laughed, waving his paws. "Hey, hey, it's fine! Now it's official, right?"

Papyrus bounced. "Yes! You are! Officially! My friend...! Oh, this is so exciting!"

"It only took breaking the barrier and getting to the surface," Doggo joked, though some of his laughter was still from disbelief. Papyrus really hadn't thought they were friends...

"Well, sometimes that's just what it takes," Papyrus replied as though that was the only obvious answer. "I'd love to join you at the dog park! Do you think the others will want to officially become my friends too...?"

Doggo shook his head. "Papyrus... you really are a numbskull sometimes. Of course they will."


End file.
